How to Prevent Swim Trunk Rash at the Beach

There is nothing better than spending quality summer time with the family on the South Carolina beaches. Sand and surf can be pleasing to the senses until someone gets a bad rash from playing in the ocean and beach. There are plenty of reasons why people get sand rash in the trunks. Some fall victim to exposure to sand lice or sand fleas, though most rash issues are attributed to the salt water and sand and their abrasiveness to legs and groin area. The unpleasantness of such a bad rash can be a vacation game changer. At that point, even the simple activity of walking becomes a miserable experience.  This actually happened to me a few years ago down in Kiawah as my inner thigh became raw from a day at the beach.  A little detective work revealed there are ways to prevent this from happening. Here are a few tips to try and avoid getting rash when spending a day (or week) at the beach.

1.       Remove mesh lining from swim suit to prevent rash. Most people swear that removing the netting or mesh liner inside the suit will go a long way to keeping away unwanted sand. Of course, the removal of the netting will leave potential for possible “exposure” so consider first putting on a layer of cotton briefs before wearing the altered swim trunks. Those that wear the lengthier board shorts can wear tight fitting spandex bike shorts underneath.

2.       Use outdoor beach showers to prevent skin rash. Many beaches have a nearby beach house with showers or even outdoor hoses to rinse off. Take advantage of such amenities whenever possible and rinse all sand and salt water away from the body and suit. This will go along way into preventing sand rash.

3.       Avoid starting the day wearing a damp suit to the beach.  If planning on swimming every day at the beach, then consider packing a second suit. Many rashes are created by wearing yesterday’s swim trunks that have not had adequate time to dry. Kids will run to the beach and the wet suit will soon get a head start on aggravating the skin before they have even set foot into the water. Make sure the suit is entirely dry to start the day or choose the backup trunks.

4.       Apply Protective Skin Barrier to Prevent Rash – Take precautionary measures before putting on swimsuit by applying a protective barrier to your inner thigh and groin area with skin barriers such as Body Glide, Boudreaux’s Butt Paste, or A&D. You might scoff at the idea of walking around smelling “baby fresh”, but you will be re-assured to keep away the rash later on.

If you do fall victim to sand rash, then apply a coating of A&D or Gold Bond medicated powder to the affected area and it should be pretty cleared up the next day. Just remember then to follow the four tips above.